U.S. patent application number 12/257106 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-09 for stereoscopic display device.
Invention is credited to Jae-Chang Choi, Yong-Hwi KIM, Jin-Hee Park, Bong-Hyun You.
Application Number | 20090174827 12/257106 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40844273 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090174827 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Yong-Hwi ; et
al. |
July 9, 2009 |
STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
Disclosed is a stereoscopic display device including: a first
display panel displaying a main image; a second display panel
disposed on the first display panel and displaying a sub-image; a
first mold frame supporting the first display panel and maintaining
a gap between the first display panel and the second display panel;
and a second mold frame supporting the second display panel. The
first mold frame may include sidewalls forming an enclosed space
with the first and second display panels and having a portion that
inclines into the enclosed space.
Inventors: |
KIM; Yong-Hwi; (Anseong-si,
KR) ; You; Bong-Hyun; (Yongin-si, KR) ; Choi;
Jae-Chang; (Yongin-si, KR) ; Park; Jin-Hee;
(Cheonan-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Haynes and Boone, LLP;IP Section
2323 Victory Avenue, SUITE 700
Dallas
TX
75219
US
|
Family ID: |
40844273 |
Appl. No.: |
12/257106 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
349/15 ;
349/58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 30/23 20200101;
G02F 1/1347 20130101; G02F 1/133317 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
349/15 ;
349/58 |
International
Class: |
H04N 13/00 20060101
H04N013/00; H05K 5/02 20060101 H05K005/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 3, 2008 |
KR |
2008-00868 |
Claims
1. A stereoscopic display device comprising: a first display panel
displaying a main image; a second display panel disposed on the
first display panel and displaying a sub-image; a first mold frame
supporting the first display panel and maintaining a gap between
the first display panel and the second display panel; and a second
mold frame supporting the second display panel, wherein the first
mold frame includes sidewalls that form an enclosed space with the
first and second display panels, the sidewalls having a portion
that inclines into the enclosed space.
2. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein the
sidewalls incline such that the distance between the sidewalls
decreases going from the second display panel to the first display
panel.
3. The stereoscopic display device of claim 2 wherein the sidewalls
make an acute angle with the second display panel, the acute angle
being in the range of about 45.degree. to about 89.degree..
4. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein the second
display panel disposed on a rear of the first display panel spaced
at a predetermined interval.
5. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein each of the
sidewalls comprises a first end adjacent to the first display panel
and a second end adjacent to the second display panel, in which the
thickness of the first end and the second end is greater than that
of a region between the first end and the second end.
6. The stereoscopic display device of claim 5, wherein each of the
sidewalls comprises a concave surface.
7. The stereoscopic display device of claim 5, wherein each of the
sidewalls has a V-groove formed thereon and facing each other.
8. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein the
sidewalls of the first mold frame have a white color's intensity of
more than 5 when assumed that a white color's intensity of black is
0 and a white color's intensity of full white is 10.
9. The stereoscopic display device of claim 8, wherein the
sidewalls of the first mold frame have a white color's reflectance
of more than about 10% when assumed that a white color's
reflectance of black is 0% and a white color's intensity of full
white is 100%.
10. The stereoscopic display device of claim 8, wherein the
sidewalls comprise a light reflective material.
11. The stereoscopic display device of claim 10, wherein the light
reflective material is at least one of aluminum (Al) and silver
(Ag).
12. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein the
sidewalls further comprise a reflection sheet including a light
reflective material.
13. The stereoscopic display device of claim 1, wherein at least
one of the first and second display panels is a liquid crystal
display panel.
14. The stereoscopic display device of claim 13, wherein the liquid
crystal display panel further comprises a backlight assembly
supplying light.
15. The stereoscopic display device of claim 14, further
comprising: a bottom chassis receiving the second mold frame and
the backlight assembly; and a top chassis fixing the first and
second display panels and surrounding the first and second mold
frames.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0000868 filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 3, 2008, the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display
(LCD) device and, more particularly, to a stereoscopic display
device which displays a stereoscopic image using a pair of LCD
panels.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] At present, it is expected that services over an
ultra-high-speed information communication network will be
developed from voice communications over a telephone to multimedia
services that provide voice and data communications through digital
terminals. These ultra-high-speed communications can process
character, voice and image data at high speed and will ultimately
evolve into three-dimensional information communication services
that allow users to see, feel and enjoy objects
three-dimensionally.
[0006] Generally, a three dimensional image is obtained by the
principle of stereoscopic visual angle using images as seen through
two eyes of a person. Binocular parallax, which appears by two eyes
spaced apart by about 65 mm, is considered to be an important
factor in the stereoscopic effect. That is, the left and right eyes
see different two-dimensional images. The two different images are
transmitted to the brain through the retina. Then, the brain fuses
those two different images with great accuracy to reproduce the
perspective and reality of the three dimensional image.
[0007] A dual liquid crystal display (LCD) using a pair of LCD
panels, one of the methods of displaying stereoscopic images, is
used as a new LCD device capable of displaying a stereoscopic
image. However, the dual LCD using the pair of LCD panels has a
drawback in that a dark portion may occur along the edges/sides.
The dark portion occurs when a mold that maintains a gap provided
between the two panels is viewed, and it makes the display region
small. Due to the dark portion, the image on the periphery of the
screen is not viewed and becomes dark. Moreover, in case where a
mold with a color having a low brightness is used, the possibility
that the dark portion is viewed is increased. Accordingly, the
display quality is generally deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides a stereoscopic
display device, in which a first mold frame maintaining a gap
between first and second display panels includes sidewalls each
having a portion that inclines inward to effectively remove a dark
portion from the viewed image. Moreover, the present invention
provides a stereoscopic display device which can increase the
brightness through a change in the structure of the first mold
frame.
[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a stereoscopic display device including: a first
display panel displaying a main image; a second display panel
disposed on the first display panel and displaying a sub-image; a
first mold frame supporting the first display panel and maintaining
a gap between the first display panel and the second display panel;
and a second mold frame supporting the second display panel,
wherein the first mold frame includes sidewalls that form an
enclosed space with the first and second display panels and having
a portion that inclines into the enclosed space.
[0010] The sidewalls may incline such that the distance between the
sidewalls decreases going from the second display panel to the
first display panel.
[0011] The sidewalls may make an acute angle with the second
display panel, the acute angle being in the range of about
45.degree. to about 89.degree..
[0012] The second display panel disposed on a rear of the first
display panel spaced at a predetermined interval.
[0013] Each of the sidewalls may include a first end adjacent to
the first display panel and a second end adjacent to the second
display panel, in which the thickness of the first end and the
second end may be greater than that of a region between the first
end and the second end.
[0014] Each of the sidewalls may include a concave surface.
[0015] Each of the sidewalls may have a V-groove formed thereon and
facing each other.
[0016] The sidewalls of the first mold frame may have a white
color's intensity of more than 5 when assumed that a white color's
intensity of black is 0 and a white color's intensity of full white
is 10.
[0017] The sidewalls of the first mold frame have a white color's
reflectance of more than about 10% when assumed that a white
color's reflectance of black is 0% and a white color's intensity of
full white is 100%.
[0018] The sidewalls may include a light reflective material, and
the light reflective material may be at least of aluminum (Al) and
silver (Ag).
[0019] The sidewalls may further include a reflection sheet
including a light reflective material.
[0020] At least one of the first and second display panels may be a
liquid crystal display panel.
[0021] The liquid crystal display panel may further include a
backlight assembly supplying light.
[0022] The stereoscopic display device may further include a bottom
chassis receiving the second mold frame and the backlight assembly,
and a top chassis fixing the first and second display panels and
surrounding the first and second mold frames.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The above and other features of the present invention will
be described in reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof
with reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stereoscopic display
device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a first
mold frame in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention, taken along lines I-I' and II-II' of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first mold frame
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention,
taken along line I-I'; and
[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a first mold frame
in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention,
taken along line I-I'.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in
order to explain the present invention by referring to the
figures.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stereoscopic display
device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, the stereoscopic display device in
accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention
includes first and second display panels 102 and 202, first and
second panel drivers 110, 120, 210 and 220, first and second mold
frames 100 and 200, a backlight assembly 242, a top chassis 150,
and a bottom chassis 250. At least one of the first and second
display panels 102 and 202 may be formed of a liquid crystal
display (LCD) panel. Other panels such as a plasma display panel
(PDP), or a panel using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) may
be used. Although the description will be given in terms of an LCD
panel, this is not a limitation of the invention and various other
display panels may be used as the first and second display
panels.
[0031] The first and second display panels 102 and 202 include thin
film transistor (TFT) substrates 106 and 206 and color filter
substrates 104 and 204 facing and bonded to each other with a
liquid crystal layer between them. The liquid crystal layer is used
for adjusting the amount of light transmission, as is well
known.
[0032] Each of the first and second color filter substrates 104 and
204 includes a black matrix for preventing light leakage, a color
filter for displaying color, a common electrode forming a vertical
field with a pixel electrode, and a color filter array having an
upper alignment layer formed on the common electrode for the liquid
crystal alignment.
[0033] Each of the first and second TFT substrates 106 and 206
includes a gate line and a data line formed substantially
perpendicularly to each other, a TFT provided at an intersection
thereof, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the TFT, and a
TFT array having a lower alignment layer formed thereon for the
liquid crystal alignment.
[0034] The first display panel 102 displays a main image, and the
second display panel 202 disposed on the rear surface of the first
display panel 102 displays a sub-image of the stereoscopic display
device. Accordingly, the first TFT substrate 106 of the first
display panel 102 is connected to a first gate driver 110 and a
first data driver 120, and the second TFT substrate 206 of the
second display panel 202 is connected to a second gate driver 210
and a second data driver 220.
[0035] The first gate driver 110 includes a first gate printed
circuit board (PCB) 114 and a first gate integrated circuit (IC)
112 mounted on a first gate tape carrier package (TCP) disposed
between the first gate PCB 114 and the first TFT substrate 106.
[0036] The first gate IC 112 sequentially supplies a scan signal of
a gate high voltage to a plurality of gate lines. Moreover, the
first gate IC 112 supplies a gate low voltage to the gate lines
while the gate high voltage is not supplied. The first gate PCB 114
supplies a control signal and a power signal from a timing control
unit and a power unit mounted on a first data PCB 124 to the first
gate IC 112.
[0037] The first data driver 120 includes the first data PCB 124
and a first data integrated circuit (IC) 122 mounted on a first
data TCP disposed between the first data PCB 124 and the first TFT
substrate 106.
[0038] The first data IC 122 converts pixel data into an analog
pixel signal and supplies the same to a plurality of data lines.
The first data PCB 124 supplies a control signal, a power signal
and pixel data from the timing control unit and the power unit to
the first data IC 122.
[0039] Since the second gate driver 210 and the second data driver
220 have the same driving mechanisms as those of the first gate
driver 110 and the first data driver 120, their detailed
description will be omitted. However, the first gate driver 110 and
the first data driver 120 supply main images to the first display
panel 102, and the second gate driver 210 and the second data
driver 220 supply sub-images to the second display panel 202 so
that the main images and the sub-images are harmonized with each
other, thus enabling a viewer to view a stereoscopic image. In
other words, when a character and a background are displayed on the
first and second display panels 102 and 202 as the main images and
the sub-images, respectively, the main images are superimposed on
the sub-images. Thus, the viewer may see the superimposed images of
the character and background.
[0040] The first mold frame 100 supports the first display panel
102 and maintains a gap between the first display panel 102 and the
second display panel 202. Moreover, the first mold frame 100
includes sidewalls 170 forming a space together with the first and
second display panels 102 and 202. Each of the sidewalls 170
includes a portion inclined toward the inner space. The inclination
and shape of the sidewalls 170 will be described in more detail
with reference to FIGS. 2A to 4 later. Moreover, the sidewalls 170
of the first mold frame 100 may have a white color's intensity of
more than about 5 when assumed that a white color's intensity of
black is 0 and a white color's intensity of full white is 10. In
addition, the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 may have a
white color's reflectance of more than about 10% when assumed that
a white color's reflectance of black is 0% and a white color's
intensity of full white is 100%.
[0041] If the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 have a
brightness of less than 5, the sidewalls 170 of the first mold
frame 100 have a dark color close to black, and thus the sidewalls
170 of the first mold frame 100 may be viewed according to the
viewing angles and the possibility that a dark portion may occur is
increased. Accordingly, the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame
100 may have a brightness of more than 5.
[0042] Moreover, the first mold frame 100 may further include a
light reflective material to improve the display brightness. The
light reflective material is at least one of aluminum (Al) and
silver (Ag). Further, a reflection sheet may be attached to the
sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 to add a reflection
function, thus improving the display brightness.
[0043] The second mold frame 200 supports the second display panel
202. The backlight assembly 242 is disposed on the bottom of the
second display panel 202.
[0044] The backlight assembly 242 includes a lamp 240, a reflection
sheet 238, and optical sheets 230. The lamp 240 emits light using
externally-supplied electric power and the light from the lamp 240
is transmitted to the first and second display panels 102 and 202.
A plurality of such lamps 240 may be provided at the bottom of the
display panel so as to function as a direct type backlight assembly
242. In the case where the direct type backlight assembly 242 is
used, the light can be directly transmitted from the rear surface
of the LCD device to the LCD panel, and thus it is not necessary to
provide a light guide plate required in an edge type backlight
assembly. Accordingly, the manufacturing process can be simplified.
Moreover, in the case where any one of the first and second display
panels 102 and 202 is a self-luminous display panel, a separate
light source is not required.
[0045] The reflection sheet 238 is disposed on the bottom of the
lamps 240 and serves to reflect the light emitted from the lamps
240 to the lower surface toward the LCD panel. Since the reflection
sheet 238 includes a material that can reflect and diffuse the
light, it can perform a function of reflecting and diffusing the
light transmitted thereto.
[0046] The optical sheets 230 are sequentially stacked on top of
the lamps 240 and include a diffusion sheet 232 for diffusing the
light, a prism sheet 234 for converting the emitting angle of the
light to be vertical to the LCD panel and collecting the light, and
a protection sheet 236 for protecting the surface of the prism
sheet 234. Although the description is for the optical sheet 230
having a structure in which the diffusion sheet 232, the prism
sheet 234 and the protection sheet 236 are single sheets stacked on
top of each other, this is not a limitation of the invention. For
example, each of the respective sheets may be provided as a
plurality of sheets in another embodiment.
[0047] The bottom chassis 250 receives the backlight assembly 242,
surrounds the edge of the backlight assembly 242, and receives the
second mold frame 200, which is disposed on the inner surface of
the bottom chassis 250, and the second display panel 202, which is
accommodated on the top of the second mold frame 200.
[0048] The top chassis 150 surrounds the edge of the first and
second display panels 102 and 202 and is connected to the outer
surface of the bottom chassis 250, connected to the first and
second mold frames 200, to prevent the movement of the inner
components of the stereoscopic display device. Moreover, the top
chassis 150 protects the edges of the first and second display
panels 102 and 202.
[0049] FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing the first
mold frame in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention, taken along lines I-I' and II-II' of FIG. 1.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the first mold frame 100 serves
to maintain a gap between the first and second display panels 102
and 202. The first mold frame 100 includes sidewalls 170 which may
be inclined in a direction such that the size of the opening in the
mold frame 100 decreases with distance from the second display
panel 202. In this case, an acute angle .theta. that the sidewalls
170 make with the second display panel 202 may be in the range of
about 45.degree. to about 89.degree..
[0051] If the acute angle .theta. that the sidewalls 170 of the
first mold frame 100 make with the second display panel 202 is less
than about 45.degree., the gap between the first and second display
panels 102 and 202 is too small and the first mold frame 100
adjacent to the first display panel 102 extends to the display
region, thus deteriorating the display quality of the stereoscopic
display device. On the other hand, if the acute angle .theta. that
the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 make with the second
display panel 202 exceeds 89.degree., the sidewalls 170 that
maintain the gap between the first and second display panels 102
and 202 is most likely to be viewed according to the viewing
angles, thus deteriorating the display quality of the stereoscopic
display device. Accordingly, the acute angle .theta. that the
sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 make with the second
display panel 202 may be determined in the range of about
45.degree. to about 89.degree. according to the gap between the
first and second display panels 102 and 202.
[0052] Since the gap between the first and second display panels
102 and 202 has an effect on the characteristics of the
stereoscopic display device, the gap between the first and second
display panels 102 and 202 should be adjusted in the range that can
display a stereoscopic image without moire.
[0053] In addition, the sidewalls 170 may further include a metal
material having a high reflectivity. By example only, the sidewalls
170 may include at least one of aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag).
Moreover, a reflection sheet including a light reflective material
may be attached to the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100.
With the reflection sheet, the light transmitted to the sidewalls
170 of the first mold frame 100 can be reflected toward the first
display panel 102, thus increasing the brightness.
[0054] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first mold frame
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention,
taken along line I-I'.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 3, the first mold frame 100 includes
sidewalls 170 which serve to maintain the gap between the first and
second display panels 102 and 202. Each of the sidewalls 107 of the
first mold frame 100 includes a curved, concave surface, in which
the thickness of a first end E1 adjacent to the first display panel
102 and a second end E2 adjacent to the second display panel 202 is
greater than that of a region between the first end E1 and the
second end E2. Moreover, as described above in the exemplary
embodiment, the sidewalls 170 of the first mold frame 100 may
include a light reflective material such as aluminum (Al) and
silver (Ag) or a reflection sheet so as to reflect much more light,
which may be transmitted to the lateral surface of the first mold
frame 100 to be lost, toward the first display 102, thus increasing
the brightness.
[0056] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a first mold frame
in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention,
taken along line I-I'.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, the first mold frame 100 includes
sidewalls 170 which serve to maintain the gap between the first and
second display panels 102 and 202. Each of the sidewalls 107 has a
V-groove on it, in which the thickness of a first end E1 adjacent
to the first display panel 102 and a second end E2 adjacent to the
second display panel 202 is greater than that of a region between
the first end E1 and the second end E2. In this embodiment, the
characteristics and effects of the sidewalls 170 are the same as
those of the second embodiment, except that the sidewalls 170 are
formed with an angle. Accordingly, with the increase in the
brightness, the display characteristics of the stereoscopic display
device are improved.
[0058] Although the stereoscopic display device using the LCD
panels has been described in the above embodiments, the present
invention is not limited to the LCD panels, but can easily be
applied to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a
plasma display panel (PDP).
[0059] As described above, the stereoscopic display device in
accordance with the present invention can effective remove the dark
portion and increase the brightness by modifying the shape of the
sidewalls of the mold frame and changing the color of the mold
frame from black to white.
[0060] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of
modifications and variations may be made to the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention
defined in the appended claims, and their equivalents.
* * * * *